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Youth Development

Tis the Season for Exams

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BY KATHY MCDONALD 

As we are busy preparing for Christmas and various other Holy Days we must remember to keep our finger on the education pulse. This season is an especially busy time for everyone and it’s easy to let our academic obligations be relegated to a second-place priority status. I would like to remind everyone about important deadlines as well as provide tips for students that are undergoing exams. But before you stop reading this article because you have no kids that this information may be relevant; think of your neighbours, family or friends that could benefit from this column. Spread the news; we all play a part in and we all benefit from a well-educated society.

Many students are in the process of preparing for exams. To those who have not prepared as well as they should; DON’T PANIC. All’s not lost. You need to really settle down, focus and concentrate on your school work. Put away all distractions…… Yes! including the phone and use these last few weeks wisely. Practice practice practice. I remember an old adage that my math teacher, Miss Harris would say to me “10 problems a day keeps failure away”. This can be applied to almost all areas of study because the essence of this adage is that each day we should be reviewing or practicing problems as this will help solidify the concepts for students. The whole idea being that the concepts or subtle nuances of a question will become glaringly obvious with repetition.

It is of great importance to get a lot of rest during exam time as well as proper nutrition. The importance of feeding the body as well as the brain cannot be stressed enough. No pun intended as this leads me to my next recommendation. Do not sweat the small stuff. Take some time to go for a walk or perform a physical activity that relaxes you. This is very important to your mental health to minimize stress. In essence we need the whole body to be performing at optimal capacity so students can perform to their maximum potential; this includes both their physical and mental state.

Now, I would like to highlight some very important dates that pertain to the Peel District School Board (PDSB). I would also encourage all readers of this columns that have students in other Boards to visit the respective websites for the appropriate deadlines. The deadline for the PDSB French Immersion (FI) or Extended French is January 27th 2017 at 4pm. Students that miss the deadline can still apply but will be placed on an automatic waiting list and will not be part of the random selection process. There are information sessions pertaining to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program for grades 6-8 on January 11th 2017. If you are interested in enrolling at W.G. Davis Public School then attend the session at the Mississauga Convention Center, located at 75 Derry Road West. For those students living South of the 401 that are interested in this IB program, they should attend the information session at Glenforest Secondary School located at 3575 Fieldgate Drive Mississauga. These students will be required to attend Bristol Road Middle School located at 210 Bristol Road East in Mississauga.

Students that are not currently enrolled in the PDSB can apply to the High Skills Program until December 16th, 2016 at 4pm. This program is available to all students regardless of their skill level and is available for all pathways. The programs include: Arts and Culture; Business; Construction; Health and Wellness; Hospitality and Tourism, Information and Communication Technology; Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services; manufacturing; Non-Profit; Sports and Transportation.

The first of the PDSB public consultations took place on Saturday December the 10th at the HJA Brown Education Centre at 5650 Hurontario Street in Mississauga. By all accounts it was successful and a lot a powerful feedback was provided. At the PDSB we absolutely value all voices as we endeavor to make the We Rise Together Action Plan an authentic and effective solution to issues around equity and inclusion facing a lot of Black and Caribbean students. If you missed the first one there is still an opportunity to let your voice count. On Saturday January 21st, 2017, there will be another community forum. It will be held at Turner Fenton Secondary School, located at 7935 Kennedy Road from 10- 2pm.

So, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays once again. Study hard. Good luck on your exams. I hope you will all be successful in gaining entry into your programs of choice. Be safe and come back rejuvenated. So, until then Walk Good. Belle Marché.

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Youth Development

Understanding the multiple layers involved in navigating education spaces Parents of Black Children launch Navigating the Education System

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BY PAUL JUNOR

The work of the advocacy group Parents of Black Children (PoBC) has made a significant and revolutionary difference by bringing issues to the forefront that help Black families at all levels.

For over two years now, it has organized events, workshops and initiatives that have provided important information to the Black community to bring empowerment, knowledge and deep understanding of the multiple layers of the complex dynamics involved in navigating education spaces.

There are five core principles that underlie PoBC understanding of racism:

  1. Racialization
  2. Racism is about power
  3. Critical racial theory
  4. Our stories matter
  5. Racism is founded on White supremacy

On Tuesday, November 23rd, 2021, they launched the document Navigating the Education System,” which was a very empowering, enriching and inspiring tool for diverse Black families. Kearie Daniels, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author of the document, moderated the launch. Furthermore, Claudette Rutherford, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author gave an extensive presentation of the details of the document, sharing useful insights, practical knowledge and interesting information.

PoBC shared a pdf document subsequent to the launch, which provided additional details in a fifty-three-page package. It contained relevant, contextual and vital resources. PoBC’s Advocacy Team supported the document, which includes Charline Grant and Xavier McLaughin.

In the introduction to the document the mission of PoBC is to “Provide support to parents of Black children across Canada and the United States. We advocate and work towards change and concrete action in our education system and adjacent systems such child welfare and the justice system.”

The launch of this vital document is a culmination of all the advocacy and activist work that PoBC has been extensively involved in. It serves to remind members of the Black community that there are resources, tools and supports available to ensure that Black children are able to thrive academically, excel mentally and flourish intellectually in spaces that may not be welcoming to their presence.

The document states that the navigate guide is “Geared towards families in Ontario, but the information can be applied to any jurisdiction where there are Black children and families.”

The document “Table of Contents” is useful and helpful. There is vital information on:

  • School board terms you need to know
  • Education organization you need to know in Ontario
  • Black families and the Child Welfare System
  • Black families and the education system
  • Black students and Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
  • Black students in High School.
  • Developmental delays in learning exceptionalities
  • Supporting students with learning exceptionalities
  • Selecting a school system
  • System abuse

PoBC presented a webinar on “System Abuse”. The document states,

“The system is not neutral. These systems were designed as part of a colonial framework that must be dismantled.” Furthermore, the document “Serves as a means to demystify the pitfalls within the education system and light a path towards a decolonized education system.”

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Youth Development

Toronto prepares families for COVID-19 vaccination of children

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Photo by Charles Deluvio Library on Unsplash

BY PAUL JUNOR

There have been concerns, fears and anxieties as parents, caregivers and guardians anticipate the possibility of having their children under twelve vaccinated.

The Boston Globe reported on Friday, October 29th, 2021, that the FDA approved the administration of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children between the ages of five to eleven. These children will receive one-third of the dose administered to teens and adults.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention met on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, in order to finalize details with respect to which children should be vaccinated first. In anticipation of these developments, Team Toronto has initiated a series of outreach and education sessions, as well as town halls in order to inform the Toronto community.

Parents of children between the ages of five to eleven who attend public schools will be receiving an email and an invitation to respond to a survey to “Support vaccine planning.”  This invitation will also be extended to parents whose children attend private independent schools as well. The survey will be administered by Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the City of Toronto VaxTO in order to “Better understand parents’ intent to vaccinate their children, how they would prefer to have their children receive their COVID-19 vaccine, and to obtain critical information on socio-demographic factors such as race and income.”

John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, is optimistic and positive about this development. He states in the press release, “While our work to get 90% of eligible residents vaccinated is continuing, we are also readying for when the vaccine will be available to protect kids five to eleven. We want to hear from parents, so we made sure we designed a vaccination program that works for kids and their families. This is just one more example of the outreach we are doing to prepare for this effort. This work is so important and will help us get kids vaccinated so they have the best protection against COVID-19 and so our schools can be as safe and as open as possible.”

Councillor Joe Cressy, Chair of Toronto’s Board of Health who has been at the forefront of advocating for the vaccination of margnizalied and at-risk communities is supportive of this campaign. He states, “At every stage of our immunization campaign, connecting with people on the ground has been critical to our success. Now, as we prepare for the rollout of vaccines to children aged five to eleven, we’re committed to engaging directly with parents, families, and community leaders to have active conversations about vaccinations for kids.”

In addition, Dr Eileen De Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health is a strong proponent of this campaign. She states,” When vaccines are approved for use and when we have supply we will ensure that we bring every resource to bear on this critical component of the vaccination campaign.”

The survey will be available as of Sunday, November 7th, 2021. It consists of fifteen questions that will be available online at s.tphsurvey.chkmkt.com in multiple languages. Parents and guardians will receive them from their children’s public school boards. In addition, there will be town halls for specified multilingual communities as well as neighbourhood-based telephone halls to ensure that the public has access to timely, necessary and relevant information for informed decision-making.

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Youth Development

Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES

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BY SABRINA S. – 12 YEARS OLD

The school year is coming to an end, I’m sure that this year was hectic for everyone. Last year, we had a pandemic strike in the middle of the year and the world was sent into lockdown.

We didn’t get to go to school for the rest of the year.

Many students got to choose if they wanted to do school in-person or online, I chose online since I didn’t feel safe.

First day of school was very weird, most people don’t turn their cameras on, don’t even get me started on the wifi issues. I would lag out of the google meet many times and miss most of the instructions on the assignment. That is when friends come in handy, though I don’t get to see my friends that often, we still connect with some online games and phone calls through snap chat.

I don’t know where the time went, it just flew by. Last month was September and suddenly, I feel like we skipped eight months. I only have a week of school left! Because it is the last week of school, I have a lot of homework and final assignments to do but I know I’ll get through them and finish the school year.

I haven’t had time to go outside as well, I’ve been too busy with my assignments.

If my school year was this hectic, imagine the teacher’s year. I’m very grateful for everything my teachers have done for me and my classmates this year, they definitely deserve the three-month summer break. I’m sure my teachers doubted teaching online, but everything went okay and I learned lots.

“No matter how hard it is, or how hard it gets. I’m going to make it!”

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